- Passenger goes on rampage inside bus, wounding six individuals <It seems the bus driver effectively safeguarded numerous travelers>
Following an unexpected knife attack on a bus in Siegen, North Rhine-Westphalia, investigators are delving into the specifics and background of the situation. The bus was supposed to transport around 40 passengers to a city festival on a Friday, but suddenly, a woman pulled out a knife and started attacking individuals. At least six people were hurt - three severely. Shortly after the incident, a 32-year-old suspect was apprehended. According to "Siegener Zeitung", the woman is known to the authorities, a German citizen, and has mainly been noticed for drug-related offenses.
The newspaper adds that the bus driver quickly saved many passengers by swiftly stopping the vehicle and opening the doors. The passengers, including a group of teens, then managed to escape the bus and run into the nearby forest. Motorists immediately stopped and offered their help.
City Festival in Siegen to Proceed
"This is beyond belief for us all," stated Siegen's mayor, Steffen Mues. Despite the knife attack, the city festival will proceed on Saturday at 11 am with an ecumenical service on the castle square. Organizers are making their decision based on the "police's assessment of the situation," as per the city.
According to police, there is no immediate danger at the moment. "We're gathering evidence at the crime scene and interviewing witnesses," a spokesperson said overnight. The motives and exact sequence of events are still unclear. According to DPA information, there are signs of a mental illness in the suspected perpetrator. Initially, there were no indications of a political or religious motive, police said.
Of the six injured, two were discharged from the hospital overnight. A woman also left on her own, a police spokesperson told the German Press Agency. The spokesperson did not want to disclose the exact condition of the injured. They are said to be between 16 and 30 years old and all hail from the Siegen-Wittgenstein district.
In a hall overnight, 36 passengers were reportedly being taken care of. Both emergency chaplains, firefighters, and police were present. Those who were on the bus during the attack are being questioned, it was said. Relatives were also present in the hall. According to police, there were over 40 adults on the bus, as well as two or three children who were picked up by their mother.
Recall of the Solingen Incident
Mayor Mues, after the incident in Siegen, spoke with eyewitnesses on site and thanked the first responders, emergency services, and emergency chaplains. Federal MP for Siegen-Wittgenstein, Laura Kraft, also wished the injured a "speedy recovery and all the strength to the relatives and affected people in these hours" on the X platform. This incident casts a "shadow over the celebrations" in Siegen.
The incident brings back memories of the attack in Solingen a week ago. On that Friday evening, a man attacked bystanders at a 650th anniversary celebration of the city's founding. He then escaped in the commotion and initial panic. Two men aged 67 and 56, as well as a 56-year-old woman, died. Eight people were injured, four severely. The suspected perpetrator is in custody.
The city festival in Siegen, despite the unfortunate incident, will still take place as planned on Saturday at 11 am, with the ecumenical service held on the castle square. The mayor and organizers are making this decision based on the police's assessment of the situation.
Following the knife attack at the city festival, the city festival in Siegen will continue with an added sense of vigilance and security measures in place, ensuring the safety of all attendees.
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